Automobile aerial



- June 6,` 1939. l R. A. BI-:CWARl 2,161,735

AUTOMOBIILE AERIAL Filed May 19, 1937 @I Patented June 6, 1939 l j i y' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,161,736 AUTOMOBILE AERIAL Rudolph A. Becwar, Chicago, Ill., assgnor to Galvin Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application May 19, 1937, Serial No. 143,527

4 Claims. (Cl. Z50-33) My invention relates to aerials for automobile Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of radio receivers, and particularly to aerials for Fig. 1. mounting on or at the top of an automobile for Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the structure of connection to a radio receiver in the automobile. Fig. 1. 5 All-metal tops for automobiles have introduced Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View of the aerial 5 numerous problems with respect to the operation bracket of Fig. 1, along the line 5-5 thereof. of radio receivers for such automobiles. One of Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified embodithe most annoying problems is that of obtaining ment of the antenna structure itself on a modisufcient signal reception as free of interference fled mounting bracket, as contrasted to the top 10 as possible. In solving this problem, and to get mounting bracket of Fig. 1. It is understood that 10 a metal body in an aerial suicient for the necesthe antenna structure of Figs. 1 and 6 may be sary signal pick-up on the top of an automobile, mounted in either of the auto top brackets illusa relatively long rod has been mounted to stick trated.

up into the air away from the t'op. Aside from Fig. 'I is a front elevation of the antenna of manufacturing problems with respect to such an Fig. 6, alone. i 15 aerial, it is objectionable from the standpoint of In practicing the invention, an open, relativeappearance and rigidity. Because of its height, ly thin aerial framework is provided, which is subit has been necessary to provide means to pull Stantially non-wind-resist'ant, has a relatively the rod down against the automobile top or large amount 0f metal SurfaCe, iS eXtremely similarly reduce its effective height so that the sturdy, and with all these characteristics, still 20 automobue may pass under bridges, under trees, retains a very pleasing and artistic appearance. into garages, and the like, without injuring the The frame is removably mounted in a bracket aerial, where the effective height of the passagesecured to the top or t'o the top and body of'the way is less than the over-all height of the car automobile, with provisions for a lead-in wire to and upwardly extending aerial. Some of the the radio receiver therefrom. To increase the 25 prior art devices remain extended, but are prometal surface of the aerial and to improve its vided so flexible that they may bend in every artistic appearance, as well as its utility, a pluraldirection without breaking. These, however, have ity 0f bars, rods or Wires, are rigidly SeCllred t'o not proven Satisfactory the open frame in spaced-apart relation to ex- 3()l An Object 0f my invention is to provide an imtend rearwardly over the auto top and supply the 30 proved aerial for an automobile radio receiver. appearance 0f Speed t0 the entire device. 'Ihese A further object is to provide such an aerial in members are relatVely thin, and, like the frame, a rigid, sturdy construction which may be readily are substantially non-wind-resistant. and safely mounted at the top of an automobile In the preferred embodiment illustrated in Fig.

to provide a large effective aerial surface for l, an elliptical or oval frame lil is provided, con- 35 radio signal reception, and present a neat and Sisting of a pail 0f elliptical rings ll and l2 of artistic appearance. identical shape and size. The rings may be pref- Astilliurther object of the invention is to proerably formed from Square metal stock and vide a simple, inexpensive device which may be welded or otherwise secured at their ends to form mounted adjustably at the top of an automobile a continuous frame. To increase the metal sur- 40 so that its position with respect to the auto top face of the aerial for the desired radio signal may be varied to vary the appearance to suit the piek-up. a plurality 0f elengated lOaI'S I3, i4 and users 0r operators own'artistic tastes, i6 are spot welded or otherwise secured inter- One of the features of the invention is the promediate the two elliptical rings Il .and l2, as

vision of an aerial of inexpensive material and ShOWn in Figs, 1 t0 4. The three bars, as illus- 45 of such structure that the several parts may be trated, are 0f Varying lengths, S0 aS t0 give a more quickly and cheaply assembled. desirable artistic effect to the aerial as awhole,

Other objects and features of the invention will and with the plaeement 0f the bars from the be apparent from the following description, taken ShOrteSt at the lOOttOm t0 the longest at the top with the drawing, in which: giving an appearance of speed, which blends very 50 Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a fragmennicely with the streamlined body elfects on .the tary portion of `an, automobile top with the aerial present day alltOmObleS. of my invention mounted thereon. Although three bars have provided a very satis- Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the structure of factory device in the commercial embodiment of Fig. 1. the invention, it is understood that this number y.55

one-piece die-cast bracket with a mounting stem I 8 and a channelled body portion I9. The bottom of the channel and sides thereof correspond in contour'to the shape of the frame, in this instance* elliptical or oval, and are of Vsuch a size that the bi-part frame fits snugly but movably therein.Y

In the commercial embodiment of the invention, the rings I Ifand I2 are spaced far enough apart so that there is suicient clearance for %2 screws 2|, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. 'I'he head of each of the screws bears against the inside surface of the ovalV rings, and the screw portion is threadablyV secured in the body portion of the bracket I1. The aerial frame-can be adjustably moved in the bracket I1 when mounted on the top ofthe car, by merely loosening thescrews 2|. Inasmuch as the bracket `is secured to the Yframe at the lower portion thereof, little movement of the frame is required to Vmove the tail Vend of the elongated bars up or down to suit the fancy of the operator. Furthermore, with the aerial extending forwardly from the top of the automobile on the mounting bracket, and thusaway from said top, increased signal pick-'up is accomplished for better performance of the'radio receiver,

The aerial may be desirably mounted in an insulating bracket 22 secured to the front ofthe auto top T by means of a bolt 20 extending therethrough, and having a nut 23 on the endthereor.V

i The stem I8 of the bracket I1 isV in electrical connection with the bolt ZIJ-of thebracket 22, and a lead-in wire 24 extends from the bolt to the radio receiver mounted in the` automobile.

[A modified embodiment of the invention is il lustrated in Fi gs6 and 7. This includes a onepiece oval or elliptical frame 28 in afband substantially as wide as the over-all Widthof the frame I0, with its ends welded together or otherwise secured at 29 to provide a continuous path over the entire frame. A mounting stud 3I desirably extends through the two ends of the'frame at'29 and is peened over to remain Yrigidly on said frame'for mounting-thelatterin an appro- -priate bracket as shownY in Fig. 6. This'embodi'- ment includes a plurality of :metal'dbarsv or rods 32 of the same length's,'and spacedrin the same design if desired,ias"the.rods I3, I4 and. IB of 1 Fig. 1. The barsror rods 32 are mountedon the frameV 28 by'extending Vthem through apertures f aerial shown in Fig. ljand the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, may be mounted/in the brackets with 33 thereinY where they are'soldered or-spot welded to the frame to rigidly secure them thereto.

As previously explained, the embodimentof the whichthey-are illustrated in these figures, or they may' be changed from one to theV other. The mounting bracket ofV Fig` '.6 includes anapertured bracket 36 secured to the roof ofithe automobile above the windshield W, and a bushing 31 secured below the windshieldV to support therebetween an elongated hollow rod 38 mounted in the bushing 31 at Vthe bottom and havinganinsulator coupling mounting ,bracket Vis provided in the member I1, which comprises a bushing 39 at the top. A lead-in wire II extending through the hollow rod 38 engages the mounting pin V3I of the aerial inthe coupling 39 for electrical connection therewith, to carry the radio signals from the aerial to the receiver in the automobile.

Y It is thus seen thatthe invention provides a sturdy auto topV aerial `which. may be readily mounted on an automobile and carriedthereon to provide for a large amount of signal pick-up and appearance to the automobile as a whole.V

Y Although the invention has beenrillustrated inV in its preferred embodiments, it is understood I claim:

1. A fabricated antenna-for mounting on the top of an. automobile to extend relatively high above the Vtop and extend at such height longitudinally of the automobile comprising a pair of coaxial relatively open frame members each lying substantially in a single vertical plane with said planes parallel to one another but spaced apart laterally, a plurality of elongated bars spaced apart from one another and lying intermediate said frame members and each in engagement therewithrin at least two oppositely disposed points on said frame members, with said bars each extending longitudinally from the frame members at one of said engaging pointsv for each bar, and means for permanently securing said bars to each frame member and thereby securing said frame members permanently withk respect to one another to provide a rigid antenna frame structure and mounting means Yfor VsaidV plurality of spaced apart elongated metal ele- Y of sai-d engaging points Vin a plane parallel to Vthe plane ofthe frame member Vto Vprovide an enlarged metal signal-receiving surface in said antenna and mounting means for said frame member includingV an insulating portion for mounting directlyon the automobile roof, and a ehannelledV portion :for receiving said frame member,V and threaded means extending from'- one side of said framej member to,Y the other side thereof and Vinto said mounting means to rigidly" secure the frame Vmember thereon. 5 M Y 3. Antenna apparatus for mounting on an au- Y tomobilecomprising Vin combinationr a relatively open signal-'receiving metal frameV and a mounting bracket for said frame,`said Yframe comprising a pair of `complementary open membersr standing in a-YpairV of vertical parallel .planes spaced laterally -fronnY one another, an elongated rod intermediate `said members inVv engagement therewith in at least two spaced apart points with said rod permanently secured to each member at said engaging points to secure said members in permanent relation with respect to one another and provide with said rod a rigid eXpansive frame structure, said bracket having a channel therein correspon-ding to the lateral width of said frame for receiving said members at one portion thereof, a headed screw threadably secured in said channel with its shank lying intermediate said members and adapted to be screwed into said bracket to cause the head to engage the inside surface of the mounted portion of each of the members to press the members against the bottom of the channel to provide a simple and rapid assembly for the frame and bracket and insulating means for said bracket for mounting directly onto the automobile.

4. Antenna apparatus for mounting on an automobile, comprising in combination a relatively open vertically-positioned signal-receiving metal frame and mounting means for said frame, said frame comprising a member standing in a vertical plane, an elongated substantially horizontally horizontally extending rod secured to said member in at least two oppositely disposed spaced apart points to secure said rod and said member in permanent relation with respect to one another, said mounting means including a portion carrying said member in engagement therewith and corresponding to a portion of the outer contour of said member at the engaged surface of said portion, a pair of threaded means extending from one side of the member to the other and into said mounting means to rigidly clamp said member on said portion but clamp the same in a manner to permit an angular adjustment of said member with reference to said portion so as to Vary the mounted-position angular relationship between said rod and the automobile, and said mounting means including an insulating portion for directly engaging the automobile and mounting said apparatus thereon.

RUDOLPH A. BECWAR. 

